


Anniversary

by hopelessrdj



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Anniversary, Hurt, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:06:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23190610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopelessrdj/pseuds/hopelessrdj
Summary: Some days are special. Some days are groundbreaking. And some days are just unforgettable.
Relationships: Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Comments: 4
Kudos: 28





	Anniversary

There are some days that we consider special. The ones that we wish to spend with those we hold dear. The days when we are happy without a reason. All you really need is that one date i the calendar.

Those days we try our best to take a day off. Do something for yourself and others. Make sure that everything is as perfect as it can be.

That's why when 4th anniversary of Tony's and Stephen's relationship comes around no one in the Metro General is surprised when for the first time in history Stephen actually asks to get a day off. All of the coworkers are as happy as he is and deliver him their best wishes. The doctor himself can't hide his excitement himself.

For the last month he's been attending a cooking course that Christine convinced him to take and he already hopes to make an impression with the new found skill. He already bought all the necessary products yesterday so today he can go straight home.

When he walks inside he's welcomed by death silence. it's not like he wasn't expecting it though. Both of them knew that Tony lifestyle is not one of those that would allow him to get a leave. Especially in the middle of an Expo.

Stephen's not gonna lie though today it doesn't seem as inconvenient as it usually does considering all he has to prepare that evening. immediately after coming home he finds himself walking to the kitchen, putting on one of the matching aprons Tony bought for them a while ago.

The work takes him quite a while, but that's the price you have to pay when you're trying to prepare a five star restaurant dish in the quiet of your own kitchen. But not even for a moment he feels discouraged.

When the main dish finally ends up in the oven he starts setting the table. Two plates, cutlery, a white table cloth, two candles, a crystal vase. everything looks perfect. The only thing still missing are flowers.

After quick look at the clock Stephen makes sure it's late enough to be able to call Tony without bothering him on an important meeting.

So he sits by the table and calls. But to no avail. After the third try he gives up and decides to send a message instead, just a short one. A few words asking him to buy a bouquet, in that small florist place around the corner, run by that old lady that somehow loves Tony but hates Stephen. He doesn't blame her though. Who doesn't love tony?

He waits for the message to turn it's status into "delivered" and once it happens he comes back to work. The main course is already prepared, time for side dishes.

Before he finishes everything 45 minutes pass. The entire dinner is already set on the table just waiting for the two of them to sit down and start their meal, the dessert is staying in the fridge, nice and cold. He checks his time and realises he still has around 20 minutes before Tony will be back home.

He's not gonna lie, he's pretty proud of himself and the prefectionist part of his character is telling him to maybe already start cleaning. In the end he thinks about it twice and decides to do it tomorrow. Ther are more important things for now, such as buying the flowers, because he just knows Tony will forget.

So he takes a paper and pen and quickly but with a beautiful handwriting writes down a note " _Dear Tony, i hope to come back home before you do but just in case i left to get the bouquet you definitely forgot about_ " after a bit of hesitation he adds " _I love you forever, Stephen_ "

And after neatly folding the paper in half he puts the card on the table, grabs his favourite coat and walks out onto the semi-crowded street.

There are those days when nothing bad has the right to happen. 

Then why when Tony comes back home, at least 30 minutes late, there's silence welcoming him instead of his boyfriends voice?

For a while he's walking around the house, calling his name once or twice just to make sure. And when the phone calls it's Stephen's name that he expects to see on the screen. But when he picks up it's Chrstine's voice that he hears on the other end of the line and for a moment his world stops.

If you'd ask him he wouldn't be able to tell you how he got to the hospital, but he's there. Standing and waiting not being able to find any familiar face in the crowd. It takes him a while to register the women talking to him is in fact Christine and when she tells him what happens he doesn't believe her.

An accident. A drunk driver hit him while he was crossing the street, just a corner away from their apartment, near the flower shop he stopped by barely an hour ago. And suddenly he knows where all the broken glass on the street came from. Though he would prefer not to know.

And a moment passes. And another. And moments turn into minutes. And minutes into hours. And hours unmercifully turn into the morning.

And they could have been sleeping right now, cuddling while watching movies on the new couch in their cosy apartment. But they're here.

And they'll never sit on said couch together again. Cause when the doctor comes out of the operating room Tony knows. He knew already, a few minutes ago, He could swear that with Stephen's heart stopping his own stopped too.

And when the doctor tells him about it Tony doesnt cry. Doesn't speak. He's almost sure he doesn't even breath. And he walks out of the hospital and walks into their apartment and he's still in too much of a shock to fully register what happened. And when he opens the door he still waits for that welcoming voice.

And when he looks at the mess in the kitchen, he decides to never clean it cause he sees Stephen in it. He swears he can see him, every step he's ever made in that room.

And why? Why did he have to go out? What was so important that he couldn't wait for him and they couldn't go together?

And when he looks at an empty vase he registers the flower boquet he's been hoding onto desperately for the last few hours. And when he comes closer to the table he notices a small paper written in the most breathtaking handwriting he's ever seen. And he feels the pain deep inside his chest because this card is about to tell him why he left.

And while readying the note he closes his fist around the silver ring he's been hiding in his pocket. With a quiet sigh he puts the paper back on the table and the engagement ring right on top of it. He places the boquet of 15 herbal roses into the crystal vase.

But he didn't pour any water into it, cause he didn't feel like there was a reason to do so. And he will let them die of thirst and stand in that vase forever because they are the reason why he'll never hear his "I will"

And there are the days, that change everything...


End file.
